And justice for all? Aboriginal victims of sexual violence

Concern for the recognition, support, and rights of victims within the criminal justice system has grown in recent years, leading to legislative and procedural changes in the administration of justice that have improved the experiences of victims. What is not clear is whether all victims have benefited from changes in the system regardless of race and social class. This study investigates the experiences Aboriginal people who are victims of sexual violence have with the Canadian criminal justice system. The authors seek to explore perspectives about their encounters with the judicial system from the point of first contact with the police through involvement with the court and community service providers, utilizing grounded theory qualitative methodology. They conclude that race is a key determinant in the manner in which a victim will be perceived by the people in the justice system and the manner in which the victim will approach the judicial process.